KORUP RAINFOREST CONSERVATION SOCIETY

K.R.C.S.

…Involving Local People for a Greener Future.

2013 ANNUAL REPORT

ContactC/O P. O. Box 36, Mundemba,Korup National ParkS W R, Cameroon.Email: krcs4all@yahoo.comTel: +237 33777520, 77109175, 70002798Bankers: ECOBANK Kumba.

Compiled by: Orume Robinson DiotohProgramme Adviser, KRCS

Context and Introduction

Korup Rainforest Conservation Society

Darwin Initiative Project grant

Successful completion of CLPFunded project.

Letters ofrecognition/appreciation from

5 target villages

More than 30

members trained.

ey Achievements

More than 20new membersregistered

KRCS providedtechnical supportin ASEA and

PUZ studies forKorup park..

Introduction

The Korup Rainforest Conservation Society was founded in September 2009 by a group of indigenes from the

Korup National Park (KNP) area committed to collectively assist in addressing some apparently burning issues

threatening the integrity of the rich biodiversity of the park which were later highlighted in a conflict resolution

and sensitization workshop organized by the park management in November 2009. Issues included;

- Insufficient participation of locals in park management.

- Insufficient benefits of local people from park management.

- Wide co mmunication gap between park Management and local communities.

- Antagonistic relation between park service and local communities.

- Vandalism on park property by local communities.

- Insufficient information flow and conservation education in local communities.

- Wide gap between park users (researchers, tourists etc.) with local communities.

- Disorganized and indiscriminate recruitment of research assistants/guides resulting to some assistants

later going into the park as poachers.

- Absence of a reservoir of local service providers for conservation activities.

- Insufficient involvement of local civil society in the park management.

- High pressure on park resources due to the absence of alternatives to livelihood.

KRCS seeks to address some of these issues in its objectives and activities. This annual report is therefore

reporting on our activities for the period of January to December 2013. So far, positive strides have been

made in the right direction towards our resolve to building trust, mobilizing support from more followers and

well-wishers from our target local communities as well as conservation and development partners, thereby

making our impact felt. Our interventions and achievements are reported here under the six sections as per our

objectives;

I. General Administration and Finance

II. Locals’ involvement in park management and Training.

III. Sensitization through conservation advocacy and education in local communities.

IV. Conservation/development initiatiatives for livelihood improvement.

V. Constraints

VI. Conclusions and Recommendations

ProgrammeCoordinator

ProgrammeAdvisor

Communications/Liaison

Auditoffice

Secretary General

I - General Administration and Finanace

- A new organigram was developed and approved by the general assembly of the organization in

November 2013. The organigramme will be as follows:

FAA

CD RT CE

Executive elections then followed in December 2013 and saw a new executive as follows:

Position Name

Programme Coordinator Ekole Nelson Betobe

Programme Adviser Orume Robinson Diotoh

Secretary General Moleka Alexander Nakeri

Conservation Education Officer (CE) Inyang Zacharie Ekpe

Assistant Conservation Education Officer Ekpo Peter

Communications and Laison Officer Bamai Namata

Research and Training Officer (RT) Motale Trevor

Assistant Research and Training Officer Bepuaka Ekuka

Community Development Officer (CD) Nganga Owamba

Assistant Community Development Officer Masango Vivian

Auditors Nkwoi Bodie

Eni Edward

- Four (5) general assembly meetings were held.

- Eight (15) executive meetings were convened and held for monthly planning and discussions on

thematic issues including the 2013 evaluation and 2014 activities planning.

- Interested members list stands at about seventy (70) with registered members increasing from 40 in

2012 to 65 in 2013 with most from over 18 out of 32 target communities.

- KRCS is still operating in the office space donated to the group by the Korup park service at the tourist

information centre.

- An equipment inventory was concluded in December 2013 and equipment included;

- The petit cash’ account established at Express union, Mundemba to avoid several expensive bank tripsto Eco-bank, Kumba and cash handling by members is still in use.

- The volunteer Administrative and Financial Assistant (Mr. Sumbede Anthoine – BSc. Economics) who

was recruited has maintain permanent present at our office, provided clerical and accounting services

and has also run our outreach documentation project.

- KRCS was invited and participated in the following meetings;

As the focal point for REDD+ in Ndian division, the capacity building workshop on the

development, implementation and monitoring of payment for environmental services (PES) and

REDD+ organized by CED and funded by the GIZ in Buea, January 2013.

October 2013 participated in a PUZ restitution meeting in Mundemba organized by AFGA-NGO

and PSMNR-SWR.

Equipment Qty State RemarkWooden tables 02 UsedWooden shelves 02 UsedWooden glass cupboard 01 UsedWooden bench 01 NewMetallic Notice board 01 NewDell computer screen 01 Fairly UsedDell CPU 01 Fairly UsedHP deskjet printer 01 ProblematicHP scanner/printer 01 Still OkCannon Photocopier N6317 01 Still used ProblematicCamtel fixed phone* 01 New Used as internet modemSINGSUNG 24” TV* 01 New For videos in villagesVCD player* 01 New ,,Casio solar energy Calculator 01 New In good condition1500W Voltage regulator 01 NewElectrical distributors 02 Still usedStaplers 02 New Giant, bad and Medium size

still usedNikon video camera + SD card* 01 New Still used

On 5th July 2013, participated in setting up the Municipal platform for REDD+ in Mundemba

and Toko in which the executive was as follows:

President – Orume Robinson Diotoh from KRCS.

Chief Ekokola Adolf Nwese – Community representative from Esukutan village

Mme. Moleka Alice – Women representative

- Above 20 of our members were co-opted as local service provider’s researchers and other park activities

and complied with payments of their Green contributions (constitutionally accepted contribution of 15%

kept aside for funding small activities and office running).

- Our financial accounts for the year stand as follows:

Income Amounts Remark

Balance brought forwards from 2012 3380000 Mostly CLP project funds

Membership Registration 94,000 Some members completing

Green Contibutions from memberssalaries involved in service delivery 1,131,100

Members green contributions for participatingin CLP funded project, Max Planck ChimpsResearch, Darwin Initiative Acoustic&Biomonitoring bushmeat price project (5%agreed since project conception), Gottengenuniversity project (Denis kuptch) participationin VSMs and ASEAs for KNP and participationin PUZ studies at Erat and Esukutan

Donations 80,000Donations from JMU Study abroad(55000fcfa), Kelly Beoke 25000FCFA

Community outreach 2,192,620 Documentation +sales of materials+survenirs

Commitment Fee 0

TOTAL INOME 6,877,720

Expenditure Amount Remarks

KRCS contribution to CLP project 372000 As per CLP project proposal and contract.

CLP project spending in 2013 4405000

Balance of total CLP funds spent (715000)after spending 2155000 in 2012 excludingbank trip considered below. 500,000 spent onequipenet in 2012

Staff Salary 480,000 salary for FAA for 12 months

Perdiem 136,000 For KRCS activities only

Refreshment 89,150 1ST MAY, POST MEETINGS

Community outreach 894,200Purchase of matrials, printing of 50 1st mayTshirts and tourists Tshirts

Repairs of equipment 174,000 Photocopier, TV and video player

Charity donation 85,000Elepahant victim visit at Ikondo knodo 1 andLife line donation over Akpasnag river

Office running(transport, stationaries,bank trips, banking costs andcommunitcation, receipt productionetc) 536,350 Including CLP bank trips

TOTAL 7,671,700

Balance carried forward -793,980Surely deficit met by partner funds

Partner project funds managed and accounted for by KRCS in 2013

Partner (see partner cash records for detailedexpenditure)

AmountRecieved Spent Balance

Darwin Innititaive project funds from Oxforduniversity funds 2460530 1748500 712030

Darwin Initiative project funds from James MadisonUniversity 2200000 4221600 -2021600

Darwin initiative project funds through KRCS 2213000 729000 1484000

PSMNR-SWR funds for Darwin project support 0 161525 -161525

Max plank project funds 2437500 592500 1845000

Save wildlife human wildlife conflicts acousticsfeasibility project

250000 0 250000

Totals (FCFA) 9551030 7453125 2907905

We hope deficits from partner project funds shall be normalized in 2014 since we have used mostly funds fromother partners to pre-finance activities for the above cited projects.

II – Locals involvement in Park activities and training (Research, tpurism and collaborativemanagement activities).

Between the 12th and 27th of May 2014, KRCS member where fully involved in the organization of the

study abroad programme base on an MoU with Dr. Joshua Linder of James Madison University,

Virginia, USA. Activities included;

Presentation on the role of civil society in management of the Korup National Park and our CLPfunded action for primates’ project.

A 10 days research inception trip to the park.

A socioeconomic assessment of Meka village

An appraisal visit to the Pamol plantation oil palm processing facility in Bulu camp.

KRCS received a consignment of conservation publications and text books from the visiting students.

Since April 2013 Six (6) KRCS members have now been fully employed and involved in the Darwin

initiative project focusing on collecting bio-monitoring data on the $ permanent transect in Korup

coordinated by Dr. Joshua Linder of James Madison University, collecting acoustic data using Acoustic

recording units (ARUs), collecting bush meat price data from selected vendors in Mundemba since

November 2013 all as part of a three year project to help Improve in the design and evaluation of

antipoaching patrols in African rainforest.

As part of the Darwin project Prof. David Macdonald; one of the worlds most famous and

accomplished wildlife conservation scientist of our times. Visiting together with Dr. Christos Astaras,

also from Wildcrum the visit was a privilege for the only Cameroonian alumni from Wildcru (Orume

and Melano). KRCS was proud to host an inspiring august guest.

KRCS members have also been involved a 1 year human wildlife conflict feasibility research project

involving the use of acoustic units to listen to Elephant activity around Ikondo kondo I village farms.

Eight KRCS members who had been trained by the KNP CDT on participatory community sensitization

in preparing them for subsequent participation as local service providers in the Village sensitization

meetings (VSM) have been fully involved in the collaborative management process using the

Conservation development agreements (CDA) tool of the PSMNR-SWR phase II in more than 15 target

villages. Short term service provider contracts have been used to contract KRCS members while

elaboration of a long term MoU with the PSMNR-SWR and the park are ongoing.

KRCS member help out in VSMs and ASEAs for KNP.

In May and June 2013 in partnership with AFGA_NGO from Buea, Five members of KRCS were

trained and fully successfully involved in collecting socioeconomic and spatial data in three (3) pilot

villages of Erat, Bera and Esukutan that have been earmarked for creation of a permanent use zones

(PUZ) under the supervision of the PSMNR_SWR.

In May, about three (3) members of KRCS trained and have been fully involved in a biodiversity

assessment project in different land use types (plantaion_PAMOL, forest and mosaics by Denis Kuptch,

a post doctoral researcher from Gottingen University, Germany.

KRCS members were involved in camera trapping for the Tropical ecology and assessment network

TEAM camera trapping and the PSMNR sponsored camera trapping array in the Northern of Korup

National Park coordinated by Kelly Boeke.

A KRCS member Mr. peter Ekpo received a CLP travel grant to enable him complete a three months

course in Project management at Pan-african institute for development (PAIDWA).

III – Sensitisation through Conservation advocacy and education

On the 2nd of February KRCS ran a Campaign on world wetlands day in schools around Mundemba

using posters and talks on the importants of wetlands.

KRCS in collaboration with other National and international NGOs continued forwarding petitions to

RSPO and US and Cameroonian Government on the potential negative impacts of SGSOC oil palm

plantation in the viscinity of Korup National Park and neighboring protected areas. Following one of

these petitions SGSOC was forced to withdraw from the RSPO.

A match past for the environment for organized during the last labour day (1st May) celebrated in

Mundemba.

On a daily basis wildlife documentaries are used to sensitise visitors to our office at the KNP

information centre.

A human wildlife conflict prevention message was sent to the population of Ikondo kondo 1 village

following the injury of a student by an elephant.

Implementation of activities for Our CLP award winning project ‘Action For Primates (AFP)

Conservation’ in Korup started in September 2012 and have ran through until December 2013. So far

the following have been achieved;

Follozing training of the project team leader on Conservation management and Leadership at

Calgary University, Alberta, Canada in 2012,acquired skills were transferred to13 members on

to improve participation the project.

Capacity building

The project team leader and 12 members of our organization received training in leadership, team building,

communication and project management. The skills acquired from these trainings have been very instrumental

in the implementation of the project and the long term project and institutional management. More so, 13

teachers from 5 target schools were trained in use of our EE manual which improved their ability to integrate

EE in the teaching of pupils.

Increased conservation knowledge and change of attitude in target communities

More than 2000 villagers (including men and women of all ages) attended our sensitization meetings in

5 target communities reached. The contents of the sensitizations meetings, 5 wildlife video shows in 5

communities, the exchange of ideas with park rangers on conservation and the wildlife law during 2

evening camps following the football games in 2 villages and about 1800 copies of our quarterly

newsletter distributed to target villages have gone a long way to increase knowledge of villagers in

conservation and the wildlife law. On the other hand 5 EE clubs have been created with about 53 pupils

participating in clubs activities including the use of 10 wildlife posters and 2 wall paintings donated to

target school, 1 quiz competition, 1 nature walk, 1 visit to the wildlife centre in Limbe with assorted

prizes awarded to kids. 50 copies of our EE manual have also been used in 10 target schools.

Our 150 pre and post-project knowledge and attitude questionnaire administered in 5 villages showed

the following results;

Team training in Mundemba

83% of respondents said they needed more information about the Korup National Park in their

communities compared to 21% after the project. (n=75).

56% respondent thought populations of flagship species like chimpanzee and drills, were

decreasing as the number of animals seen and killed by hunters and distances covered in hunting

as the only justifications used but not from data provided by the park service. Meanwhile 70%

thought the same during the post project questionnaires.

Less than 10% of respondents knew that the red colobus was critically endangered and partially

endemic to the Korup Region before the project while the more than 60% respondents had this

knowledge after the project.

More than 60% respondents strongly disagreed or disagreed that the Korup park could bring

development to the good of the communities compared to 32% after the project.

There was no correlation between the knowledge and attitude scores (r = 0.022) from respondents

before the project which was very different after the project (r = 0.89). However it was surprising

that age (F2, 75=1.372; p= 0.2617) profession (F2, 75=0.9034; p= 0.4107) or level of education (F2,

75=2.137; p= 0.1271) were not good predictors of attitude towards conservation in the

communities before and after the project.

There was a significant difference in the knowledge and attitude scores from respondents before

and after the project (df2, 75=2.368; p= 0.02). The average attitude scores achieved are as

presented in the bar chart below;

This apparent change of attitude has been very important in generating support for conservation

effort as well accepting park rangers in the villages with reports of illegal activities from target

communities.

Increased trust/acceptance of park rangers and park activities from target villages.

Coupled to the impact from our sensitization meetings, the organization of 2 ‘football for primates

games with materials donated in two villages plus the post match common dialogue and meals

between more than 25 rangers and more than 50 youths from target villages had a significant effect in

building trust for the rangers.

54% of respondents in target villages had a negative to very negative attitude towards eco-gaurds

coming to their villages before the project compared to only 8% post project.

84% and 96% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that there was need for

communities to have a close relation with eco-gaurds in the pre and post project questionnaires

respectively. Still echoing the need for continuous collaboration.

Thanks to the increased levels of trust no conflict was recorded in any of the target villages so far.

Instead based on reports form park rangers, there is increased presence and patrol activities around these

previously abandoned target villages (see annex ix). Patrols had been completely absent in forests near 5

village (Eratm Akpasang, Ekon 1, Esukutan and Ikenge ) but thanks to our activities patrols have

returned to 80% of these areas. This presence of park rangers is hopefully going to have a positive

impact of reducing illegal hunting of our target species though the project did not measure this aspect.

High level of trust and recognition of KRCS as a conservation partner

Our activities in the villages and schools and prizes/materials donated to village youths and schools

were highly appreciated. On the other hand our networking and cooperation with all stakeholders and

partners has increased the level of trust and recognition and improved our chances for better

interventions in the areas around the Korup National Park. We received funding and/or material support

from the PSMNR-SWR, WCS, Korup Park service and most importantly free food donation from

village women. For instance up to 90% of respondents said YES when asked if they were willing to

learn more about primates. The preferred educational channel was wildlife video documentaries (74%)

before the project and 97% after the project. We also received five letters of recognition and

appreciation from target villages reached.

Promotion of farming as an alternative to hunting

Winners of football games received farming equipement and prizes amounting to 450,000 FCFA.

These prizes were highly appreciated and are used for farming by the youths. We hope that more income

from farming activities should reduce the dependence of village youths (most active hunters) on hunting.

Other football for primates games planned for other villages did not take place as approval was delayed

by the KNP management team. Instead confidence building missions were organized to concerned

villages of Bera, Esukutan and Ikenge with all material distributed.

Esukutan youths tean receive football materials.

IV. Conservation/Development initiatives for livelihood improvement

A financial package of three hundred thousand francs (50,000FCFA) was donated to the to the student

who was injured by the elephant during a vist to the victims residence at Ikondo kondo 1 with the

perfect support of Lucy ormby of Max plank institute.

KRCS donated a life line worth 50000FCFA to three villages of Ekon I, Erat and Akpasng villages to

serve during floods on river Akpasang to facilitate movement of villagers and conservation/development

partners to the village.

One craft man based in Mundemba has been encouraged in production of locally made rattan baskets

and bamboo mugs for marketing as souvenirs to tourist.

Farming tools including (Matchets, hoes, files, diggers, peak axes, watering cans etc) were donated to

youths of our 5 target villages prizes for the football for primates game as a way of encouraging

agriculture as an alternative to hunting.

VII. Constraints

Prolonged rainy season and its associated impacts such as poor roads and flooding of rivers.

Long distances and means of communication with very remote target villages.

Sudden increase in prizes of commodities in our locality

Limited funds also limiting our ability to intervene in other priority conservation issues in the area.

Hesitant attitude of some villagers due to unmet expectation from other projects and the government.

Uncooperative attitude of Korup Park leadership.

VIII. Conclusions and Recommendations

Our activities especially the AFP projects have so far been successful with apparent positive behavioral change

in pilot villagers being more receptive to eco-guards. We also recorded achievements in other respect such as

increase in number of registered members (mostly local villagers), fund raising, awareness and recognition

mostly from our partners especially the PSMNR-SWR. However, we do not need to relent our efforts. We need

to extend to more villages and intensify our activities in the dry season, fish more members and funds so as to

have even greater impact in the area and meet our objectives. We also need to improve our collaboration with

other partners working around the park in identifying and promote reliable alternatives to livelihood. For 2014,

our strong resolve is to encourage more local support for eco-friendly development initiatives and mobilize

local communities to stand against and protest all project that threaten the integrity of the Korup park and local

livelihood as well as demerits on climate change.